


Everything I Tried to Be Just Wouldn't Settle In

by friendlyneighborhoodirondad



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Adult Peter, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Guilt, Literal Dad Tony, Post-Break Up, Relationship Advice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-25
Updated: 2018-09-25
Packaged: 2019-07-17 08:44:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16092110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/friendlyneighborhoodirondad/pseuds/friendlyneighborhoodirondad
Summary: Peter breaks up with his girlfriend. He turns to Tony for help.





	Everything I Tried to Be Just Wouldn't Settle In

**Author's Note:**

> Fic title from "Monster" by Imagine Dragons.

Peter locks the door to his apartment, the clunk sounding ominously final. He slips his shoes off and slinks off to his bedroom. He sits on the edge of the bed, moving to unbutton his dress shirt but then finds he can't. He's frozen in place, hands hovering above the top button. The general feeling of... awfulness stills him to the point where he has to remind himself to breath. He's not heartbroken, he's... just awful. An awful person. Peter can't believe he actually went through with it. With breaking up with her.

Her. Nicole. His girlfriend of seven months. Now ex-girlfriend of half an hour. God, he's an awful person. How could he do this to her? He knew how she felt, so why did he do it?

Suddenly feeling restless, Peter dashes out of his bedroom, haphazardly throws on his shoes, snags his keys, then takes off into the cool fall night. Then he walks. Walks to drain his energy, to distract himself, to burn off his dessert.

Peter walks.

He walks until he finds himself in front of a familiar white picket fence. The one that he had helped put up just last summer. He has half a mind to just keep walking, but something deep inside says not to. He finds himself drawn to the garishly painted red and gold front door. It was their compromise. Tony got to paint the front door however he wanted, and Pepper got to do everything else. Tony also made a case for the fake shutters, but Pepper stood her ground. She quickly regretted giving him something on the outside of the house, but a deal's a deal.

Peter steps back to admire the tiny gold hand prints lining the very bottom of the door after ringing the bell. He was lucky enough to snag a picture of the moment. It was his phone background for months. Until Nicole came along.

His super-hearing picks up on a conversation between creator and AI before the door finally opens. Tony looks happily surprised to see Peter standing on his porch. "Hey, Petey. What's going on? It's pretty late for you to be out and about on a work night. Not that I'm not happy to see you, I'm just-"

"Can I come in?" Peter interrupts. He knows his mentor would ramble the night away if he didn't stop him.

"Yeah, sure. Just watch your step. The little monster still hasn't learned to pick up after herself."

"Maybe it's because, oh I don't know, her father spoils her to no end?"

"Don't act so high and mighty. I saw you two sneaking snacks into the basement last time you were here, and I know Pepper's made it very clear that food is only allowed in the kitchen and at the dining room table."

Peter snickers as Tony leads him past the front hall covered in framed pictures of the family (most of them shot by yours truly) and a couple original artworks from the princess herself. "The other two asleep?" he asks they enter the dark kitchen.

"Yep." Tony flicks on the lights and opens the fridge for two bottles of water.

"And you're awake because...?"

"Because a certain spider crawled into my home late into the night looking a little worse for the wear."

"Tony..."

"Nope, none of that. Come on, you and me, the couch, late night angst session."

"I'm not-"

"Let's go, Parker."

Peter groans and gives into Tony's firm prodding towards the couch. The two sink into the leather cushions like they have a hundred times before. Tony hands Peter a water bottle, and the pair sip in silence for a minute before Peter speaks up. "Nicole and I broke up."

Tony stiffens suddenly and turns to face his protege looking pained. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry, buddy. What happened? Do I need to hurt her?"

"What? No!"

"Okay, okay. How about a stern talking to? You know I'm not above coming out of retirement and putting on the armor just to scare her."

"No, she didn't... I broke up with her."

"Oh." Tony pauses for a second but seems to be physically incapable to keep the words from spewing out. "Did she cheat on you? That bitch! I'll kill her. I'll wipe her off the face of the earth. She'll be six feet under before she-"

"Dad! I broke up with her because she was in love with me!"

Stunned silence from the other party.

"I'm a dick, alright? I-I knew she loved me and I didn't think I'd ever love her back, so I broke it off before it went any further." Peter lets out a harsh sigh and drops his head in his hands. "Do you want to kill me now, too?" he asks bitterly.

He hears Tony shifting, sensing him getting closer. The familiar weight of Tony's arm gently wraps around his hunched shoulders. Peter knows from experience that trying to shrug him off would be useless. It's almost as if Tony was the one with spider powers when it comes to their talks. But tonight, Peter feels undeserving of his mentor's comfort. "Oh, Petey. What are we gonna do with you?" Tony says softly.

Peter doesn't respond. He merely squeezes his eyes tighter against the slowly collecting tears.

"Let's go back to one of the first lessons I taught you. What's the first step to making a decision?"

"List the facts," he sniffles.

"That's right. So... Nicole loved you. Correct?"

"Yeah."

"And you didn't love her. Yes?"

"Yes."

"So you broke up with her over a nice dinner, going off your attire."

"Yes."

"So my conclusion is: you did the right thing."

Peter shakes his head in denial.

"Yes, you did. You said you don't think you'll ever love her, so breaking up with her now spares the both of you a lifetime of unhappiness."

"You're just saying that," Peter mutters.

"No, no, listen. You never listen. If you two continued on the way things were, she would be unhappy when she eventually found out you didn't love her. And you would be unhappy with a girl you didn't love."

"But that's the thing!" he finally exclaims, emerging from behind his fingers. "I would be happy! She's sweet and kind and funny and smart and... and..."

"Overall amazing?"

"Yeah! She's basically perfect. There's nothing wrong with her. How could I not love her? Th-There's gotta be something wrong with me, Tony. I just broke a girl's heart because I decided I was too good for her love and perfection."

"Peter-"

"I'm a monster."

"Peter. Stop."

He huffs, but obediently shuts his mouth.

"You're not a monster. You're a human being."

"What's the difference?"

"Shush, being bitter about humanity is my thing. And you know how I feel about people taking my- You know what, never mind, you got me off topic."

Peter snorts despite his gloomy mood.

"Anyway, you're a human, Pete. A human with a big brain, a big heart, and lots and lots of feelings. It doesn't matter if she's descended from the heavens and made from star dust. If you know you're never gonna love her, you're never gonna love her. End of story. No after credits scene. You did the right thing by breaking it off now. Think about it, her heart would have been even more broken if you had waited."

Peter shrugs.

"I know this isn't going to get better over night, but don't beat yourself up over this, bud. It's not healthy. You shouldn't feel like you have to take the whole world on your shoulders. As a former offender, I should know," Tony adds after a pause.

Neither say a word until Peter finally lifts his head to meet his mentor's eyes. "I'm not a monster?" he timidly asks.

"You're not a monster," Tony says with so much certainty, Peter starts to believe him.

"I'm... I'm human."

"You're human."

"And I shouldn't take food into the basement?"

Tony chuckles fondly and gives Peter a gentle shake. "Never, you little brat."

"I'm not little anymore, Dad. I'm a grad student, remember?"

"Oh, silly me. How could I forget when you whine like your baby sister?"

Peter actually laughs, allowing Tony to pull him into a full-on, two-armed, Stark bear hug. It was reserved for spider kids only since Tony uses all his strength to squeeze Peter as tight as possible. Tony's afraid it might break anyone else.

"I love you, Pete," he murmurs into his kid's ear.

"Love you too, Dad."

"Now," Tony says after letting Peter go. He stretches and yawns, "You have work tomorrow?"

"Eh, not really. Nothing I can't do from home."

"So it's settled. You're staying the night."

"Tony-"

"Don't 'Tony' me, Parker. Head on up to you and May's room, chop chop."

"You're impossible, you know that?"

"You think I'm impossible? Wait until you see the little monster in the morning."

"So she's a monster, and I'm not?"

"Where's the faith, kid? When have I ever been wrong?"

Peter raises an eyebrow.

"Don't answer that."

**Author's Note:**

> I don't usually put these notes in, but sorry if this is bad or offends anyone. I just went through a similar break-up and writing two of my favorite characters talk through it helps me. I feel like that's weird, but that's where I am right now. Life is weird.


End file.
